Author: Will Lovell
Based on the data from the 2026 General Homebrewer Survey, while the vast majority of brewers end up using all-grain methods, most started off relying on extract, which comes in two main forms – liquid malt extract (LME) and dry malt extract (DME).
LME is produced through an evaporative process that removes most of the water, leaving behind a concentrated malt syrup that is used at around 0.75 lbs/0.34 kg per 1 lb/0.5 kg of malted barley. DME is created by spraying LME into a chamber of warm, dry air, which leads to a rapid loss of moisture that turns the extract into a powder; given its higher concentration, the usage rate for DME is slightly lower than LME at approximately 0.65 lbs/0.29 kg per 1 lb/0.5 kg of malted barley.
I was certainly among the brewers who, when starting out, was sold on the idea of LME being higher quality than DME, which stuck with me for some time. However, it seems there’s been a bit of a shift in sentiment on this topic, with many claiming LME results in a darker beer with more malt sweetness than DME, often to the point of being stylistically inappropriate. While I primarily brew all-grain these days, I was interested to see how these two products compare and designed an xBmt to test it out.
| PURPOSE |
To evaluate the differences between an American Light Lager made with LME and the same beer made with DME.
| METHODS |
For this xBmt, I went with a very simple American Light Lager recipe using just malt extract and a light dose of rice solids, as I felt this would accentuate any differences.
Extra, Extra!
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 gal | 30 min | 10.9 | 2.9 SRM | 1.033 | 1.008 | 3.28 % |
| Actuals | 1.033 | 1.008 | 3.28 % | |||
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Pilsen DME OR 4 lb 10 oz LME | 3.875 lbs | 79.49 |
| Rice Extract Syrup | 1 lbs | 20.51 |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Form | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saaz | 15 g | 30 min | Boil | Pellet | 5.2 |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saflager Lager (W-34/70) | Fermentis | 83% | 53.6°F - 59°F |
Download
| Download this recipe's BeerXML file |
With the understanding that malt extracts go through a standard mash with water that as been adjusted with minerals, I used straight RO water for these batches. With identical volumes in each kettle, I set my Delta Brewing AIO controllers to heat the water up before preparing the kettle hops.
Once the waters were at 170°F/77°C, I added the respective malt extracts, stirring to fully incorporate.
The worts were boiled for 30 minutes with hops added as stated in the recipe.
When the worts were done boiling, I took refractometer readings showing they were at the same target OG.
I transferred identical volumes of wort from either batch to Delta Brewing FermTanks then pitched a sachet of Saflager W-34/70 German Lager yeast into each.
The filled kegs were connected to a glycol chiller set to maintain a temperature of 66°F/19°C. With signs of activity absent 8 days later, I took hydrometer measurements showing both beers were at the same FG.
At this point, I cold crashed the beers overnight then pressure-transferred them to CO2 purged kegs that were placed on gas in my keezer. After a week of conditioning, the beers were carbonated, clear, and ready for evaluation.
| RESULTS |
A total of 20 people of varying levels of experience participated in this xBmt. Each participant was served 2 samples of the beer made with LME and 1 sample of the beer made with DME in different colored opaque cups then asked to identify the unique sample. While 11 tasters (p<0.05) would have had to accurately identify the unique sample in order to achieve statistical significance, only 9 did (p=0.20), indicating participants in this xBmt were unable to reliably distinguish an American Light Lager made with LME from the same beer made with DME.
My Impressions: Out of the 5 semi-blind triangle tests I attempted, I correctly identified the odd-beer-out every time, but they were far more similar than I expected. To my palate, the LME beer had the hint of LME aroma that was absent in the DME beer, and that’s really the only thing that stood out to me. Both were quite drinkable, though the given the lighter color and lack of extract aroma in the DME beer, that was my preferred choice.
| DISCUSSION |
Despite being used by the majority of new brewers, malt extract gets a decent amount of hate from those who are more experienced, with LME seemingly receiving the most vitriol for being darker and contributing a unique characteristic to beer. Fascinatingly, tasters in this xBmt were unable to to reliably distinguish an American Light Lager made with LME from the same beer made with DME.
Based on the difference in color alone, one might have expected these beers to be characteristically different, as was the case in a prior xBmt where tasters were able to tell apart American Pale Ales made entirely with either LME or DME. Freshness seems a plausible explanation, as both the LME and DME in this xBmt has recent manufacture dates that were similar. Seeing as this was a low hopped American Light Lager, it’s doubtful any other flavors muted the differences.
Even though I was able to consistently distinguish these beers in my series of semi-blind triangle test, I was shocked at how similar they were, especially given their color difference. To me, the LME beer smelled slightly like raw LME, and that’s what gave it away, but it was far from being the twangy sweet mess I presumed it would be. I’ll be sticking with all-grain in the future, but when I do need to rely on extract, I’ll be reaching for DME primarily for reasons of color, cleanliness, and ease of use.
If you have any thoughts about this xBmt, please do not hesitate to share in the comments section below!
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4 thoughts on “exBEERiment | Liquid Malt Extract (LME) vs. Dry Malt Extract (DME) In An American Light Lager”
LME is darker because the relatively high water content allows oxygen to wreak its havoc on the wort post-packaging far more so than DME. I would expect the aldehydes associated with oxygen damage in finished beer to show up in the LME batch far sooner than the DME batch.
The oxygen in the water/wort would be driven out during evaporation. In the evaporation the wort is boiled under pressure. It’s boiled under pressure so the liquid will boil and the water evaporate at a lower temperature to minimize darkening and caramelization.
LME slowly undergoes the Maillard reaction as it ages. This is caused by sugars and proteins floating together in the same goo. That’s what causes LME to darken and have that ‘twang’.
Most styles, LME works perfectly fine. Using chlorine-free water, hops and steeped specialty malts certainly helps. An American Lager with little hops and no specialty malt is a good stress test. A beginner brewer could brew this and be perfectly happy with how the LME beer came out. If I was brewing this or something like a Belgian Wit, I’d probably stick to DME. Especially if brewing for competition.
I wonder if a stronger *average* beer, near the 5–6% range, double this brew, would result in more prominent differences. Perhaps other than color, it indeed doesn’t matter for a near-water experience. And if making anything Amber or Darker, it might not matter at all.
It could be that since few people are going to taste their beers blind, the darker color from the LME biases their perception of detecting a difference ‘out of style’ when there might not really be one on the nose or palate.